HEADROOM 149what we see happen in Headroom. Not only have we experienced
it fi rsthand with clients, we have also conducted evaluation stud-
ies that demonstrate those clients are achieving a core capability
in collective learning. With Headroom, learning becomes col-
lective. It happens when enough leaders in an organization can
manage their collective control sources, time sense, and inten-
tionality to allow themselves to come together. Such learning
itself is risky, especially if you ’ re in a Specialist culture not known
for rewarding mistakes. But learning advantages come from mis-
takes — new mistakes. Learning publicly with others, taking risks,
and making yourself socially vulnerable during the learning pro-
cess are the way through signifi cant cultural change.
We believe that Headroom is a practical approach to creat-
ing a learning organization. It isn ’ t always the entire process of
advancing from one stage or logic to the next, but it ’ s an essen-
tial component. When Headroom is sustained, it supports the
advancement of Inside - Out capability, appropriate control,
and good time sense — the three main aspects of transforma-
tion readiness we discussed in Chapter Four. In the presence
of Headroom, collective learning takes place openly, honestly,
courageously, and collaboratively. The process acknowledges
that taking risks and making mistakes are essential to public
learning. Learning from them keeps the momentum for organi-
zational change moving in a positive direction.
Headroom at Technology Inc.We used a story from our work with Technology Inc. to open
this chapter because it illustrates the power of Headroom.
Technology Inc. has a sophisticated, performance - based shared
compensation system, but because of relatively low productivity,
one of its plants had never shared in the wealth — until Bart and
members of the senior team showed up at the plant and dem-
onstrated their willingness and ability to engage in processes of
change, including the process of Headroom. They believably